Many churches consider ways to increase their congregations, become more welcoming and assist people in wanting to stay. Thomas Risley has appointed a Sunday Church Host to help support this work and they are already seeing many successes.

A holiday club for 5 – 11 year-olds proved so successful for Allerton URC last year using a Small Mission Grant from Synod, that it is running again this summer (2024). Up to forty children attended daily. The title of the club reflected the ecological themes of the week, with a different theme each day.

Over 120 members and friends of West Kirby URC, including many families from the church's toddler group and children's club, enjoyed a fabulous Family Celebration on Palm Sunday afternoon.

Ormskirk Street recently hosted two Year 2 classes from Queen's Park CE/URC Primary School, as they learned about Easter and the events of Holy Week.

Ian Thomas, a Church Elder in charge of Experiencing Easter at Ormskirk Street talks us through the event and its importance to the church and school community.

Every two years, St David's URC, Eastham spends four days building 1st Century Jerusalem in their sanctuary for up to 300 school children and staff to visit and experience Easter.

Chris Kellett, Church Secretary and Synod Rep for St David’s Eastham talks about the Easter Experience and what it means to the church and local school.

Trinity URC Wigan was delighted to hold its first same sex marriage service for two of its members- Malcolm and Chris Garforth-Fife. Revd Tim Meadows, the Moderator Elect of the General Assembly, conducted a beautiful service and Café Jam led the music before and during the ceremony

Christ Church United Reformed Church in Port Sunlight on the Wirral, welcomed 15 new members on Sunday 5th November. Over the last few years, the congregation in Church Drive has welcomed many visitors into the church building on weekdays, including its Open Church events, and at Sunday morning worship. Over time, a number of people have come along for Sunday worship and chosen to stay to become part of the church community.

Christ Church United Reformed Church, Port Sunlight, with the assistance of the Green Watch from Bromborough Community Fire Station, installed a River of Poppies on the tower of the church in Church Drive. This also featured on BBC Radio Merseyside on Daybreak with Paul Beesley.

West Kirby URC member Emma Jackson has been appointed as Worship Development Coordinator. Emma has made a real impact at the church for a long time, using her God-given skills and talents as a musician and dancer both in Sunday worship and in holiday clubs and children's clubs

In the New Testament, Matthew 19:26 proclaims, “…God all things are possible.”

Christ Church URC Haydock has repurposed their building so that the hall is now a multifunction space - sanctuary on a Sunday, a room for youth clubs, Girl’s Brigade, the parents and toddlers groups and Messy Church through the week. The church feels like it has a new life and is growing through the changes.

The Uniting Church in Garden Lane welcomed 120 Ukrainian people towards the end of the summer for a celebration of Ukrainian Independence Day. Stalls set up on the day and cash donations raised £500 for medical aid in Ukraine. Refreshments were provided by local shopkeepers and the whole community got involved.

Revd Geoff Felton, Moderator for Mersey Synod, welcomed everyone to Synod at Heswall URC as we started our bi-annual meeting with a day of connecting, sharing experiences and Talking Faith - covering money, friendships, wellbeing and talking faith in small groups.

Harvest is an important time to remember God as creator and be thankful for the good things He provides. There are many celebrations across our churches, bringing communities together and supporting those in need. Here are some highlights from across the Mersey Synod.

An active member of a Mersey church has gained a Lundie Memorial Award. Abby Mayers, aged 20, who attends Malpas Community Church in Cheshire, was July’s winner.

Castle Community Church, in Northwich, held a Service of Celebration on Sunday 6th August 2023. This was its first service in their principal place of worship since May 2022 because of major roofing repairs. 

In this series of stories, Members of Mersey URC, we look at how people have found and joined our churches, in their own words. Enock Bhambal talks about becoming a member of the Uniting Church in Garden Lane.

The Uniting Church in Garden Lane has strong links with the local community and is considered as being at the heart of the local Garden Quarter. But how did the Church build on and modernise historic links with their community and what can we learn from this?

“My kids are told stories from the Bible in ways they understand and it’s interactive and friendly,’” Messy Church mum Louise says as her children twins Edward and Matilda (aged 4) both play at a crafts table. “They’ve grown in confidence too and even help out and read.” This is just one in a series of positive comments from parents about Messy Church at Toll Bar with Prescot United Reformed Church…

Members and friends of the Southport and Formby URC team recently enjoyed a church weekend at Thornleigh, Grange over Sands. The themes were "finding joy in our life and faith" and "healthy boundaries - freedom from worry".

Christ Church Haydock URC has received a Mersey Synod Mission Fund Small grant to share God’s message through their Messy Church group. The church opens this to all families from the local community (primarily non-church families) to come along, spend quality time with each other doing crafts and activities, eating hot food together whilst listening to the Word of God. All of the sessions are based on a gospel theme.